Suspended above the bustling traffic of Kearny Street sits a concrete ribbon of history. Known to the outside world simply as the Portsmouth Square pedestrian bridge, built in 1970, it has served as a vital artery connecting the community to the Chinatown Hilton. But to skateboarders this unassuming slice of urban architecture is hallowed ground, celebrated globally under a much more legendary name: China Banks.
Sadly this iconic era is coming to a close. As part of a sweeping redesign of Portsmouth Square, this controversial bridge is scheduled for demolition, threatening to erase a physical monument of skateboarding’s rich past in the San Francisco Bay Area.
When we got wind of this at Chainsaw Magazine we had to put our “resident skateboarding expert” and Editor at Large Brandon Bristol on the scene to tell us all about the last session at china banks.
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Last Days Here: China Banks Brandon Bristol
I heard the last big session going down at the world famous China Banks in San Francisco, CA was happening Saturday May 20th, 2026. As someone who moved to the Bay Area from Florida in search of a lawless land full of skating, hi-jinks and debauchery at the fresh age of 21, these banks were one of many legendary spots I needed to check off my “skated that” list.
I’ve lived in SF for 16 years now and I’ve seen a lot of epic shit go away. I remember seeing Massimo Cavedoni stick front blunt kickflip to fakie on hubba hideout, get robbed on the roll away several times due to wet mud and soggy wood. He never got it but that’s the way she goes sometimes. That spot is long gone and used to be one of the most sought after hubba ledges to get gnarly on.
Upon arriving at the banks I saw Raney Beres jumpin on some front 5-0s on the top rope over one of the small benches and a couple of the younger antihero prospect kids gettin some with ease. Lots of heads rolled out to witness what might go down before the bridge where the banks live gets destroyed. In the mix was Karl Watson, Mike Carroll, Sam Smyth, Tony Trujillo and his family (it was really sick to see him and his son Waylon shredding the banks together, style runs in the family for sure), a grip of local rippers and of course Wheatberry. I witnessed young buck Finn get a crook fakie on the top rope over a small bench.
I accidentally OD’d on my coffee intake for the day so I was feelin too spraaked to properly shred the spot so after a slice of pizza at the city’s best new spot “Outta Sight”, I headed back to the mission to chill.
A new younger ripper ended up front blunting the rail into the big bank up top and another dude hippie jumped up and over to scratch off a couple NBDs before it’s all just a memory. Legends of the insanity that happened there will live on forever. If you didn’t get a piece you never will. RIP China Banks, thank you for the years of fun and inspiration. –Bristol
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